Celtics Allen Wrench Disrupts Bulls Engine; Boston Wins 118-115

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Game Recap, NBA PLAYOFFS

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Ray Allen’s nickname in game one of the first round playoff series between the Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls could easily have been Claude Rains. The Celtics All-Star guard portrayed the “Invisible Man” on Saturday scoring only 4 points as his team was upset by the Bulls at the “New Garden“. Allen came back with a vengeance on Monday night scoring 30 points including a gut-check trey in the waning seconds of the game to give Boston a 118-115 win. The victory ties the series at 1-1 as the action will switch to the United Center for game three.

The “Green Team” won despite an incredible performance by Chicago shooting guard Ben Gordon who knocked down a game high 42 points. The Bulls shot 50% (40-80) from the floor while the Celtics hit 49% (47-96) of their shots. However in the end it all came down to one critical bucket.

Boston came out with their game faces on after their first game loss. The Celtics had the hot hand in the first quarter and would jump out to a 35-29 advantage at the end of the period. Chicago’s offense started to heat up in the second quarter and they would hold the lead as they walked into the locker room at the half on top 61-58.

Boston took back control with 9:22 on the clock in the third as Ray Allen drained a three point shot 25 feet from the hoop putting his team on top 66-64. The Celtics would hold serve until John Salmons hit a pair at the charity stripe with 40 seconds left in the period putting Chicago ahead 87-86. However Glen Davis popped in a mid-range jumper and Boston would hold an 88-87 lead as the period came to a close.

The lead kept changing hands throughout the final 12 minutes. With 25 seconds to play Allen drilled a shot outside the arc putting the Celtics ahead 115-113. Gordon tied the contest up with 12 seconds to go as he connected on a mid-range jump shot. Then with 2 seconds left Allen was fed the rock by Rajon Rondo and put a 25 foot trey through the hoop for the winning basket. Tyrus Thomas threw up a desperation heave at the buzzer but it did not even come close to the cylinder.

Ray Allen dropped 30 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds while Glen Davis added 26 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block and 1 steal. Rajon Rondo recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 16 assists, 12 rebounds and 5 steals while Paul Pierce scored 18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. Center Kendrick Perkins recorded a double-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal.

Ben Gordon scored a game high 42 points, 1 rebound and 1 steal in the loss for the Bulls. John Salmons put in 17 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block and 1 steal while Brad Miller had a good night off the bench as he had 16 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. Joakim Noah put 13 points on the scoreboard, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists and 2 steals while Derrick Rose was no where near as effective as he was in game one as he added 10 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. The series now all knotted up at a game apiece moves to Chicago Thursday.

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